This invention relates to a process for rapidly dissolving water-soluble polymer gels in water to form dilute aqueous solutions of the water-soluble polymers.
More particularly, this invention relates to a process for rapidly dissolving a water-soluble polymer gel in water to produce a dilute solution of the polymer in such a manner that the degradation of physical properties of the polymer is substantially reduced or minimized during the rapid formation of a dilute solution of the polymer.
Water-soluble gels comprise a solution of a water-soluble polymer whose high molecular weight and concentration in solution result in a high viscosity solution. The high viscosity polymer solution, commonly referred to as a gel, cannot be transported by techniques used to transport liquids. For the most part, water-soluble polymer gels of high molecular weight and polymer concentration ranging from about 10 to about 50% by weight of the gel are tough, rubbery substances which retain their shape when placed on a flat surface.
Water-soluble gels are prepared by addition polymerization of water-soluble vinyl-type monomers. Such polymers include those prepared from any water-soluble monomers derived from acrylic or methacrylic acids or any of their amides, esters or salts which when polymerized alone or in conjunction with one or more other unsaturated monomers will yield water-soluble polymers.
Water-soluble polymers are not generally employed in commercial application in gel form but are usually employed as dilute aqueous solutions of the polymer. Prior art methods for conversion of water-soluble polymer gels to dilute aqueous solutions of the polymers have resulted in degradation of certain properties of the polymers, resulting from shearing of the polymer gel during the process of forming solutions of the polymers.
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a rapid process for dissolving a water-soluble polymer gel to produce a dilute aqueous solution of the polymer while substantially reducing or minimizing degradation of polymer properties.